


Brokeback Forest

by lysandree (sickamore)



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: An Irrational Fear of Bears, Chrom Being Gay For Once As Requested, Gay Camping Trips, M/M, Requited Love, commission
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-10 15:43:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11129838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sickamore/pseuds/lysandree
Summary: Chrom and Robin, camping buddies extraordinaire, go on a trip all by themselves! Appropriate and totally heterosexual hijinks ensure, of the nonsexual kind, of course.Commissioned by a friend.





	Brokeback Forest

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tales_Of_Chrom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tales_Of_Chrom/gifts).



> this commission brought to you three years late, gomenasai
> 
> split up into chapters for easier reading. have fun and enjoy!

"For a _whole_ weekend? All by yourselves?"  
  
Chrom nodded affirmatively across the table to Lissa, sitting cross-legged on one of the many dainty, embroidered pillows in her room that were likely more for decoration than pretend tea parties. They were sitting in his younger sister's rather frilly room, decorated with a lacy curtain here and a quilted blanket there, though knowing his sister as well as he did the most use they probably saw were buffers between her laundry and the floor. Lissa took a long, entirely unladylike slurp from her cup, eyes wide and peering incredulously over the rim. "I never get to go anywhere by myself," she said petulantly, once she had finished. "Brother, you're so lucky."  
  
"Miss Lissa, that's because you're far too young to be going anywhere unescorted," Frederick said from his position in the corner. Being the family butler meant he was practically omnipresent, hovering over the Ylissean siblings' shoulders at any and all times. He adjusted his posture, even his smallest movements careful and elegant. "It's worrying that there might be people wanting to take advantage of you." He eyed her teacup like it might turn into a snake. "And please refrain from drinking so loudly."  
  
"I asked to go with Maribelle to her country club tea party and you said no," Lissa snapped with characteristic fourteen-year-old venom. "A tea party!" She took an even noisier drink from her cup.  
  
Frederick's eyelid twitched, and he looked pointedly away from her at the chastely painted wall of her bedroom. "I had not been previously informed of the arrangements at the social gathering," he said, neutrally, "regarding the particular distribution of gender among the guests."  
  
"So there would be two or three boys," Lissa snorted, looking down at the flowery decal of her teacup as she swished around the liquid. "So what? All of Maribelle's boyfriends-- _boy_ friends, not boyfriends--are stuck up and snooty. The only guy who was okay there was Ricken, and he's pretty much besotted with Maribelle."  
  
"Is he?" Chrom asked with interest. "How old is he now? I remember he used to tell me about the new things he read in history books in his father's library. Wanted to fence with me, too, but his mother dragged him off. Said he was still too young."  
  
His sister made a noncommittal shrugging gesture and finished off the rest of her tea. "Same age as me, maybe a little younger. Thirteen or fourteen. Still, Maribelle's sixteen, and that's pretty old."  
  
"Pretty old? I'm nineteen," Chrom protested. "Does that make me old?"  
  
Lissa finally looked up from the soggy patterns of her tea leaves, scrutinizing him for a long moment. "Old?" Slowly, her eyes narrowed, nose scrunching up as she closely examined his face, her expression exaggerated as she wrinkled her forehead at him. She squinted for another minute in complete silence, Chrom fidgeting in his seat, and then, eventually, seemed to come to a decision.  
  
"Yeah, you're pretty old," she said, and then squealed as an embroidered pillow whacked her in the face. "Hey, that hurt, you jerk!"

 

* * *

 

Chrom stepped out of the house and across the wide, green expanse of the lawns, his bag slung across his shoulders with Frederick pursuing him doggedly, loaded down with what easily could've been twice his weight and yet looking none the worse for wear. Parked in the glittering asphalt of his driveway was a battered Mitsubishi, smaller and grimier than the multiple luxury vehicles lounging around it, but recognizable immediately as Robin's. He raised a hand in greeting to the small blob of white hair sitting in the driver's seat, and it made an indistinguishable hand gesture at him back. Chrom grinned.  
  
Besides him, Frederick made a noise. "Young master," he said, for all the world sounding as if he was restraining a disapproving huff, "I believe we have been through this already, but I must ask you again if you are completely sure you desire the pleasure," him making it sound like it was anything but, "of your acquaintance's company for an entire weekend. In a solitary and removed environment, where multiple events could occur with very dangerous outcomes in a location far from assistance."  
  
"I'm sure," Chrom said, smiling, and when that didn't seem to dim Frederick's impressive glower he added, "And we're not going to be far from assistance. You told me you were going to camp in the grounds next to ours, right?"  
  
"That's correct," Frederick admitted grudgingly. "But I am not as reliable nor as efficient as, say, a trained surgeon or an emergency medical technician, in the event that you are injured--"  
  
"Frederick, I'm not going to die," he half-laughed, but grew serious when he realized the man's expression hadn't changed. "Look, I know you're concerned and I appreciate it a lot. But I can handle myself, and I'm just spending time with a friend, okay? I'll be sure to avoid any, er, 'dangerous situations,'" he quoted, "and even if I do I know you'll be right there." He gave him another smile for good measure, putting extra emphasis on the reassurement. "Okay?"  
  
Frederick looked somewhat miffed. "Very good, young master Chrom," he said, putting extra speed into his gait towards the car. Chrom couldn't help snorting amusedly even as he quickened his pace to keep up.  
  
The person behind the wheel slowly came into focus, and he caught sight of a pair of sunglasses tucked high in the spiky forest of white hair on top of his best friend's head as Robin grinned at him through the car window. "Just put your stuff in the back," he said as Chrom came closer, "the trunk's already full. Coolers, tents, sleeping bags, clothes, a portable grill," Robin's grin turned a shade regretful, "but no marshmallows, so we can't put the perfect-roast method to test."  
  
"That's fine," Chrom remarked, shucking his bag onto the backseat as Frederick did the same behind him, surly and quiet. "We can just stop by the gas station and see if they have any."

Robin's face fell, apologetic. "I only brought enough money for the trip. I don't really have extra for miscellaneous things--"  
  
Chrom held up a hand. "Robin, don't worry about it," he said sincerely. "Marshmallows are two dollars. I can afford two dollars." He saw the other man open his mouth and hastily added, "And don't worry about paying me back, either. You can just help me set up the campsite."  
  
Robin's expression shifted from worried to amused. "Help _you_?" he said. "I was under the impression that you would be the one helping _me_."  
  
"Young master was in the Eagle Scouts as a child," Frederick cut in, offended, before Chrom could get a single word out. "He, of course, could put together a tent in ten seconds or less. Nay, five seconds--no, that underestimates his great outdoorsmanship--"  
  
"Frederick," Chrom interrupted, embarrassed. "Please. I don't even think _you_ could put up a tent in five seconds, and that's saying something." He flapped his hand. "He used to chaperone Lissa and I when we went 'camping,'" air quotes, "on the family estate. Would put up those tents so quickly we'd turn away for one moment and--" He fell silent as he became aware that the man beside him had said nothing during this impromptu storytelling session. "Um," he turned towards him, "Frederick? You alright?"  
  
The butler stared at him for so long that even Robin started fidgeting uncomfortably where he was sitting in the car. Then, his voice breaking, he choked out "Thank you, young master," and hurried away across the lawn. As they watched him go halfway back to the house, they heard Frederick sniff wetly, as if repressing loud sobs, and hastily turned back towards each other.  
  
"Um," Chrom said, feeling much like he was trying to break the ice. "Should we go?"  
  
Robin smiled at him, and something in Chrom's stomach went warm and abruptly shivery. "Sure," he said, leaning across the seat to open the door for him. The goopy feelings got stronger. He wondered if it was due to the questionable breakfast Lissa had cooked him as a goodbye. "Let's go."

 


End file.
